via Zanu pins hopes on EU measures removal | The Zimbabwean 22 July 2014 by Ruzvi
Zanu (PF) is pinning its hopes to revive the economy on the total removal of targeted measures and resumption of direct funding by the European Union.
The EU has indicated that it will resume dealing directly with the Zimbabwean government from November 1, after more than a decade of targeted measures against President Robert Mugabe and his senior officials imposed because of human rights abuses and poor governance.
After slapping the restrictive measures in the form of a travel ban on Mugabe and his inner circle and banning trade with companies associated with the party, the EU channelled humanitarian aid to the people of Zimbabwe through various non-governmental agencies.
Zanu (PF) spokesperson Rugare Gumbo told The Zimbabwean that his party hoped that the resumption of direct engagement would restore commercial interaction and improve social services delivery.
“We adopted the Look East policy (by dealing with China and other Asian countries) so we were not heavily affected by these sanctions. However, we are hopeful to create a prosperous Zimbabwe through foreign investment from the EU,” he added.
The MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora refuted hopes that renewed engagement with the EU would solve the economic crisis saying: “It does not help at all because sanctions were not the reason why the economy collapsed.”
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